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Vitamin D Status in Children With High-risk Neuroblastoma
Ana Carolina Izurieta-Pacheco1, Ana Sangrós-Gimenez, Esther Martínez-Garcia
1Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.
Insights
High rates of Vitamin D deficiency are prevalent in children with high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB). Older children with HR-NB face a greater risk of low Vitamin D levels, irrespective of disease status.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Vitamin D deficiency is a growing concern in pediatric cancer patients.
- Vitamin D signaling pathways are implicated in neuroblastoma, with potential antiproliferative and antiinvasive effects.
- Understanding Vitamin D status in high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in children diagnosed with HR-NB.
- To investigate the association between Vitamin D levels and the disease status in this pediatric cohort.
- To identify risk factors for Vitamin D deficiency in children with HR-NB.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 182 patients with HR-NB managed between 2017 and 2021 was analyzed.
- Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured at initial blood analysis.
- Data were correlated with clinical information and disease status.
Main Results:
- A high prevalence of low 25(OH)D levels was observed in 81.4% of patients (48.4% deficiency, 33.0% insufficiency).
- Median Vitamin D level was 20.2 ng/mL; no association with race or sex was found.
- Lower Vitamin D levels were noted in malnourished patients, but without statistical significance. No association was found between Vitamin D levels and disease status. An inverse correlation was observed between age and Vitamin D levels (P=0.0040).
Conclusions:
- Over two-thirds of the HR-NB patient cohort exhibited low Vitamin D levels, independent of disease status.
- Older children with HR-NB are at increased risk for Vitamin D deficiency.
- These findings highlight the need for monitoring Vitamin D status in pediatric HR-NB patients, particularly older children.
Background:
Vitamin D deficiency has become a matter of concern in pediatric cancer patients. A relationship between neuroblastoma and Vitamin D signaling pathways has been revealed with interest in the antiproliferative and antiinvasive properties of vitamin D. Our aim is to describe the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency among children with high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) and to explore its association with disease status.
Materials And Methods:
In all, 182 patients with HR-NB were managed at our center from 2017 to 2021. Serum 25(OH)D levels were tested at the first blood analysis performed and correlated with clinical data and disease status.
Results:
One hundred forty-eight (81.4%) had low 25(OH)D levels (48.4% categorized as deficiency (25(OH)D below 20 ng/mL) and 33.0% as insufficiency (25(OH)D 20 to 30 ng/mL). Median Vitamin D level was 20.2 ng/mL. Vitamin D levels were not associated with race or sex. Although malnourished patients had lower median 25(OH)D levels(11.1 ng/mL), no statistical association was observed with Vitamin D deficiency. There was no association between Vitamin D levels and disease status. An inverse correlation was found between age and vitamin D levels ( P =0.0040).
Conclusion:
A concerning high prevalence of low Vitamin D levels affects more than two-thirds of patients with HR-NB in our cohort, regardless of the disease status at the time of evaluation. Older children are at a higher risk for deficient levels of vitamin D.
